Venetian blind



March 6, 1956 2,73 7,235

O- HEDIGER VENETIAN BLIND Filed March 19, 1955 IN VE N TOR 0770 HEP/,5,9

United States VENETIAN BLIND Otto Hediger, Schonenwerd, Switzerland,assignor to Storenund Maschinenfabrik Emil Schenker A.-G., Schonenwerd,Switzerland The present invention relates to Winding and adjusting meansfor use in Venetian blinds with adjustable slats, having a winding shaftand winding drums tightly mounted on the latter, for the pull tapes ofthe blind.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device of theaforementioned type permitting adjustment of the slats, as well aslifting and lowering of the blind in a simple manner by means of one andthe same operating member upon rotation of the winding shaft.

For this purpose each winding drum of the device according to theinvention is housed in a tilting member rotatably mounted on the windingshaft and to the periphery of which adjusting tapes for the slats aresecured. The device further comprises coupling springs having their oneend anchored on the tilting members and forming each a loop appliedunder pre-tension around and to the associated winding drum. The device,moreover, comprises stationary abutments adapted to cooperate with atleast one abutment provided on the tilting members. The wholearrangement is such that upon rotation of the winding shaft and due tothe friction occurring between the spring loop and the winding drum, thetilting members are concurrently rotated by a certain amount for angularadjustment of the slats between two end positions, one of which at leastis limited by engaging abutments.

The device according to the invention above all has the advantage ofsimplicity, since besides the said springs no further parts are requiredfor effecting the coupling of the tilting members to the winding drumsand the winding shaft, respectively.

The manner in which the above and other advantages and objects of theinvention are accomplished will be readily understood from a referenceto the following specification when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in which two embodiments of the invention arerepresented, by way of example.

Fig. 1. is a vertical axial section through a part of the deviceaccording to a first embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line II-II of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of the invention in a sectioncorresponding to the one of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line IVIV of Fig. 3.

In the first embodiment represented in Figs. 1 and 2, reference numeral1 designates an upwardly open casing of U-shaped cross section laterallyclosed by end walls (not shown) in which a winding shaft 2 isjournalled. Two winding drums 3, of which only one is represented on thedrawings, are tightly mounted in spaced relationship on said shaft 2.Bearing rings 4 are mounted, freely rotatable on the Winding shaft 2, onboth sides of each drum 3. Discs 5 secured to said rings 4 carry attheir outer periphery a tilting member 6 formed as a rocking sleevecoaxially housing the drum 3 and having an intermediate cut-out section7 extending approximately over half of its circumference and throughwhich a tape 15, securedto the drum 3 and wrappable or looped around thelatter, leads downwardly through a bottom aperture 8 of the casing 1.The peripheral surface of a lateral extension of the drum 3 is providedwith a groove or guide 9 (Fig. 1) in which the loop forming portion of acoupling spring 10 is seated in a pre-loaded condition. One end of thespring 10 is anchored to the tilting member 6 as best seen in Fig. 2. Tothe periphery of the tilting member 6 an abutment 11 is secured so as toaxially project beyond the latter. This abutment 11 is adapted tocooperate with an abutment 12 secured to a side wall of the casing 1.Slat carrying tapes 14, the Width of which approximately corresponds tothe Width of the tilting member 6 and which lead downwardly through theopening 8 in the bottom of the casing, are secured to the periphery ofthe tilting member 6 by means of rivets 13 and serve to angularly adjustthe slats (not shown).

For explaining the operation of the described winding and adjustingdevice it is assumed that the tilting member 6 occupies the positionshown in Figs. 1 and 2, which corresponds to an approximatelyhorizontal, intermediate position of the slats (not shown) secured tothe tapes 14, while the blind occupies any intermediate position.Rotation of the winding shaft 2 for lifting of the blind, in the presentcase in the clockwise direction according to Fig. 2, will result in thetilting member 6 rotating in clockwise direction too, owing to thefriction present between the spring 10 and the drum 3. The frictioncausing the coupling of the parts 3 and 10 is rendered still stronger asthe spring loop is influenced by the drum 3 in the closure sense. Suchrotation of the tilting member 6 entails a lifting of the one and alowering of the other of the tapes 14 fastened to this tilting memberand thus an angular adjustment of the slats. Upon further rotation ofthe winding shaft 2 and of the spool or drum 3, the tilting member 6 isaccordingly rotated until the abutments 11 and 12 meet each other; inthe represented embodiment this corresponds approximately to a quarterturn of the tilting member 6 out of the indicated position of Fig. 1.The slats in this moment are tilted to one of their end positions. Uponstill further rotation of the shaft 2 for the purpose of lifting theblind, a concurrent rotation of the tilting member 6 is prevented by theengaging abutments 11, 12 and the spring loop slides in its groove 9 ofthe drum 3.

For the purpose of lowering the blind or for adjustment of the slats inopposite direction, the shaft 2 is rotated in counter-clockwisedirection (Fig. 2), for example by the effect of the dead weight of theslats, suspended from the drum 3 by means of winding tapes (not shown).The spring 10, due to its pre-tensioned mounting on the drum 3 couplesthe latter with the tilting member 6 in this case too, so that thetilting member 6 is concurrently rotated and the slats are tilted. Sincein this case the spring loop is influenced by the friction in the groove9 in the sense of opening, relatively little power sufiices to loosenthe coupling between the drum 3 and the tilting member 6, so that nospecial abutments are necessary for limiting the rocking movement of thetilting member 6. As soon as the slats have attained their respectiveend position, the spring 14 slides in the groove 9.

It is understood that the slats may be adjusted in any intermediateposition by a corresponding rotation of the winding shaft 2 in thedescribed manner. The preloading of the spring 10 and the cross sectionof the groove 9 are such, that the friction present between the drum 3and the spring 10 guarantees a lasting connection of the parts 3 and 6within the desired rocking range of the tilting member 6.

The second embodiment represented in Figs. 3 and 4 is of similarconstruction as the one shown in the Pigs.

Patented Mar. 6, 1956 v 1 and '2 with the difference that two springsare anchored to each tilting member as hereinafter described. As in thefirst embodiment an upwardly open casing 1 of U-shaped cross section islaterally closed by end walls (not shown) in which a winding shaft 2 isjournalled. Two winding drums 23, of which only one is represented inthe figures, are tightly mounted in spaced relationship on said shaft 2.Bearing rings 4 are mounted, freely rotatable on the winding shaft 2 onboth sides of each drum 23. Discs 5 secured to said rings 4 carry attheir outer periphery a tilting member 6 formed as a rocking sleevecoaxially surrounding the drum 23 and having an intermediate cut-outsection 27 extending approximately over half of its circumference andthrough which extends pull tape (not shown) for the blind, which issecured to the drum 23 and wrappable around the latter, which tape leadsdownwardly through a bottom aperture 8 of the casing 1. The drum 23 hastwo lateral extensions 31, 32 provided each with a circumferentialgroove 31a and 32a, respectively. These grooves 31a and 32a are adaptedeach to receive a loop forming portion of a coupling spring 16 and 33respectively, which springs are wound around the drum in oppositedirection to each other as best seen in Fig. 4 and seated in pre-loadedcondition. One end of each of the springs and 33 is hooked to beanchored as at 34 and 35 respectively to the tilting member 6. Twoabutment plates 11 and 36 are secured to the periphery of the tiltingmember 6 so as to project beyond the latter. The abutment 11 is adaptedto cooperate with a stationary abutment 12 secured to a side wall of thecasing 1 for determining one end position of the tilting member, whilethe abutment 36 similarly is adapted to cooperate with anotherstationary abutment 37 for determining the other end position of thetilting member 6. As in the embodiment according to Figs. 1 and 2, slatcarrying tapes 14, the width of which approximately corresponds to thewidth of the tilting member 6, lead downwardly through the opening 8 inthe bottom of the casing and are secured to the-periphery of the tiltingmember 6 by means of rivets 13. As in the first described embodimentthey serve to angularly adjust the slats (not shown).

The operation of the second embodiment is the same as the one of thefirst embodiment. However; such a construction with two springs,pre-loaded in opposite direction, is particularly suitable whenthewinding shaft is positively operated by means of a gear in bothdirections of rotation and, unlike the first embodiment, cannot rotatein the sense of lowering of the blind due to the dead weight of same, assoon as a corresponding blocking member is released. In the secondembodiment upon rotation of the shaft in either direction one of thespring loops is influenced in the direction of opening and the other inthe direction of closing, the latterthen guaranteeing aperfect couplingof the tilting member with the winding drum until the correspondingabutments engage each other, thereby stopping further rotation of thetilting member and keeping the slats in one end position.

In both embodiments as well the construction as also the maintenance andoperation of the described device are simple and no expensive spareparts, difficult to replace, are required.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing fromthespirit and scope of the present invention and it is intended that suchobvious changes and modifications be embraced by the annexed claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device for winding and adjusting the slats of Venetian blindshaving a fixed casing, a winding shaft within said casing, and Windingdrums for respective pull tapes mounted on said shaft for rotationtherewith; tilting members disposed about said drums, respectively, forIOYBIIOII relative to said shaft, pairs of tapes for adjusting theangularity of said slats and connected to said tilting members,respectively, at opposed locations, guide means mounted on said shaftfor rotation therewith within said tilting members, respectively,coupling spring means including springs each having two ends, one end ofsaid springs being frictionally mounted on said guide means,respectively, and the other end of said springs being secured to saidtilting members, respectively, and cooperating abutment means disposedon said tilting members and said casing, respectively, whereby uponactuating said winding shaft said tilting members are first rotated withsaid shaft by frictional engagement of said springs with said guidemeans to thereby adjust the angularity of said slats, rotation of saidtilting members being terminated upon cooperation of said abutmentmeans, respectively, so that upon further actuation of said windingshaft to wind said pull tapes on said drums said tilting members areprevented from further rotation.

2. In a device according to claim 1, wherein said drums and respectiveguide means are integral with each other. said guide means beingprovided with a circumferential groove, respectively, in which arespective spring is seated.

3. In a device according to claim 1, wherein one spring is supplied foreach of said tilting members, said springs being coiled about said shaftin the direction corresponding to the direction for raising said slats,said abutment means including abutments on said tilting members,respectively, and on said casing, said casing abutments being angularlyadvanced in the direction for raising said slats relative to the pointof securement between said springs and said tilting members,respectively, whereby rotation of said tilting members in the directionfor lowering said slats will automatically be limited by bias of saidsprings.

4. In a device according to claim 1, wherein two springs are suppliedfor each of said tilting members, said springs being coiled about saidshaft in opposite directions, saidabutment means including abutments onsaid tilting members, respectively, and on said casing on either side ofsaid tilting members, respectively, for positively limiting the rotationof-said tilting members in either direction.

5. In a device for winding and adjusting the slats of Venetian blindshaving a fixed casing, a winding shaft within said casing, and windingdrums for respective pull tapes mounted on said shaft for rotationtherewith; pairs of bearing means mounted on said shaft on either sideof said drums, respectively, tilting members mounted on said pairs ofbearing means, respectively, for rotation relative to said shaft, saidtilting members being provided with arcuate cut-outs for said pulltapes, respectively, pairs of tapes for adjusting the angularity of saidslats and connected to said tilting members, respectively, at opposedlocations, guide means secured-to said-drums, respectively, and providedwith circumferential grooves, respectively, coiled springs seated insaid grooves of 'said guide means, respectively, and frictionallyretained thereon adjacent one 'end and being secured adjacent theopposite end to said tilting members, respectively, remote from said oneend, said springs coiling about said shaft in the directioncorresponding to the direction for raising said slats, and cooperatingabutment means disposed on said tilting members, respectively, and onsaid casing, .said casing abutments being angularly advanced in thedirection for raising said slats relative to the points of securementbetween said springs and said tilting members, respectively, wherebyrotation of said tilting members is limited in one direction by saidabutment means and is automatically limited in the other direction bybias of said springs.

6. .In a device for winding and adjusting the slats of Venetian blindshaving a fixed casing,-a winding shaft within said casing, andwindingdrums for respective pull tapes mounted onsaid shaftforrotationtherewith; pairs of bearing means mounted on said shaft oneither sideofsaid drums, respectively, tilting members mounted on said pairs ofbearing means, respectively, for rotation relative to said shaft, saidtilting members being provided with arcuate cut-outs for said pulltapes, respectively, pairs of tapes for adjusting the angularity of saidslats and connected to said tilting members, respectively, at opposedlocations, pairs of guide means secured to said drums, respectively, oneither side thereof and each provided with a circumferential groove,pairs of coiled springs seated in said grooves of said guide means,respectively, and frictionally retained thereon adjacent one end andbeing secured adjacent the opposite end to said tilting members,respectively, remote from said one end, said springs of each of saidpairs coiling about said shaft in opposite directions, and cooperatingabutment means disposed on said tilting members, respectively, and onsaid casing on either side of said tilting members, respectively,whereby rotation of said tilting members is limited by said abutmentmeans.

- Cardona Mar. 17, 1942 Griesser Dec. 18, 1951

